Activity 2

COMMON LABORATORY OPERATIONS and TECHNIQUES

Different laboratory instruments enable us to determine a

substance’s properties such as mass, length, volume, density, and
temperature. Thus, activities in the laboratory require the proper
handling of apparatus. To obtain efficiency, safety and conclusive
results, performance of appropriate laboratory techniques is required.

Objectives
 To study the basic techniques and common operations used in the
laboratory
 To appreciate the need to observe proper laboratory techniques to
avoid accidents and achieve maximum efficiency

Materials
water wire gauze iron stand
table salt pipette burette
match stick aspirator burette clamp
piece of paper graduated cylinder erlenmeyer flask
filter paper volumetric flask evaporating dish
triple beam balance beaker tripod
top loading balance stirring rod florence flask
gas burner glass funnel condenser
reagent bottle medicine dropper thermometer
test tube spatula iron clamp
test tube holder iron ring

Procedure
A. Manipulating Mass Balance
Using Triple Beam Balance
1. Acquaint yourself with the parts and functions of a triple beam
balance as shown in Figure 1

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 Figure 1 Triple Beam Balance

2. Place the balance on a flat and level surface.

3. Remove foreign materials that may be present or have
accumulated on the pan.
4. Set all riders to zero mass of the beam and check if the pointer is
in line with the zero mark. If it is not, adjust the knob until the
pointer is at zero mark.
5. Use a container for weighing solid or liquid samples. No samples
must be weighed directly on the pan to prevent corrosion of the
pan and contamination of the weighed sample.
6. To get the mass of a sample, weigh the container first. Put the
object on the pan and move the 100 g rider to the right until the
pointer fall below the zero mark. Then return the rider one notch
backward. Do the same in the 10 g rider. Using the tip of the
pencil or pen slowly slide the 1 g rider until the pointer lines up
perfectly with the zero mark. The sum of the readings in the three
beams is the mass of the object.
7. Place the substance into the container then get the total mass.
Finally, subtract the mass of the container from the total mass in
order to obtain the mass of the substance. Record the reading.
8. Practice weighing. Weigh any glass container.
9. Return all riders to zero after using.
10.Check if pans are clean

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Using Top Loading Balance
1. Familiarize yourself with the parts and functions of the digital
balance as shown in Figure 2

Figure 2 Top Loading Balance

2. Check the level bubble indicator before weighing. The balance

feet serve as leveling screws.
3. Set the “g” or “oz” switch by sliding the “Unit Switch”. Then,
press the Power Switch to the “on” position designated by the 1.
The “Display” will show “8.8.8.8.8” for a few seconds, then
“0.00” g for gram and 0.0000 for ounce.
4. Place the container on the balance pan gently, display will show
the measured mass values. Do not exceed the overload capacity
of the scale. Overweighing will show the display “ - - - - - - ”.
5. Push “Tare Button” to reset the balance to zero values.
6. Carefully add substance to the tare container. Record mass.
7. Practice weighing. Weigh 100 mL of water.
8. Clean up any spills.
9. Reset the balance to zero. Turn off the balance.

B. Manipulating the Gas Burner

1. Familiarize yourself with the parts and functions of the burner
given below.

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 2. Connect the burner to the gas supply by attaching the rubber
tubing to the source of the gas. Make sure that the rubber tubing is
properly fitted to prevent gas leakage.
3. Close the gas adjustment and the air holes.
4. Open the gas-valve on the gas line, then light the burner by
bringing a burning stick of matches just above the nozzle.
5. Observe the characteristic of the flame, specifically the color. A
yellow flame is called a luminous flame.
6. Open the air holes until an almost colorless or a blue flame is
obtained. The blue flame is the non-luminous flame. This flame
is preferred in the laboratory because it is clean and hotter than the
yellow flame.

Figure 3 The Gas Burner

C. Storing Reagents
1. Reagent solutions are usually kept in bottles in the laboratory.
2. Amber colored bottles are used to store solution, which are easily
decomposed by light.
3. The bottles are usually glass-stoppered with the exception of
alkaline. Alkaline use cork or plastic as cover.

D. Preparing Solutions
Dissolving solid reagents in water or other liquid

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 1. Liquid is placed in a test tube for smaller required volume and
beaker for larger required volume.
2. Solid, powdered or crystal formed, is added in a small amount.
3. Stir mixture with a stirring rod using a combination of up and
down circulatory motion.
Mixing liquid reagents with water or other liquid
1. Measure the required volume of water into a beaker.
2. Slowly add the required amount of concentrated acid into water or
any other liquid reagents while stirring the mixture cautiously.
3. Never add water to acid to avoid accident like acid contact due to
spattering.

E. Heating Liquids
Heating using test tube
1. Use test tube holder in heating small amount of liquid in a test
tube.
2. Hold the test tube at an angle of 45 o and heat its content by
passing the filled portion back and forth above the flame.
3. Never look directly into the tube and never point it to anyone.
Formation and expansion of steam may cause the hot solution to
spatter out of the test tube.
4. Do not cover test tube with rubber or cork while heating. This
may cause breakage of test tube due to pressure buildup.

Heating using test tube mounted on an iron stand

1. Clamp test tube at the upper portion on an iron stand.
2. Hold the burner and pass the flame underneath.

Heating using Beaker or Flask

1. Use beaker or flask when heating large amount of liquid.
2. Clamp an iron ring into an iron stand.
3. Place wire gauze over an iron ring to prevent direct heating.
4. Light the burner to a blue flame and place it under the iron ring.
The tip of the burner should be 1 inch from the wire gauze.

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 Figure 4 Heating Liquids

F. Determining Odor
1. Open the reagent bottle and hold it
about 15 cm from your face.
2. Gently fan the vapors towards your
nostrils. Do not inhale fumes
directly. Just sniff it since many
substances are poisonous.
Figure 5 Smelling of Solutions
G. Determining Volume of liquids

Using Pipette
1. Use pipette to measure small and exact volume desired.
2. Rinse pipette with liquid to be measured before using.
3. After rinsing, add enough liquid to the beaker to fill the pipette
above the mark. Dip its tip in the liquid.
4. Hold the pipette vertically and draw liquid up the graduation mark
using aspirator. Suction by mouth should never be done with
corrosive and volatile liquids.
5. Use index finger to maintain liquid level above graduation mark.
6. Tilt pipette slightly and wipe any drop on the outside surface.
7. Allow the liquid to flow freely down the wall of the receiver.

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 8. Practice using the pipette to transfer water from one container into
another. (Instructor will show you the proper u se of the pipette).

Figure 6
Measuring Volume using Pipette

Using Graduated Cylinder

1. Use graduated cylinder to measure
larger volume of liquid.
2. Hold the cylinder vertically at eye level
and look at the lower meniscus for V= 44 mL
determining the volume of liquid as
shown in figure 7.

Figure 7 Measuring Volume using Graduated Cylinder

Using Acid/Base Burette

1. Use burette to measure volume of liquids to be delivered into
reaction flask. (Use in titration process)
2. Wash with detergent solution and rinse with distilled water.
3. Clamp the burette into an iron stand as shown in the figure.
4. Rinse the burette thoroughly with the solution to be used and
discard rinsing.

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 5. Fill the burette with solution
above the zero mark. Withdraw
enough solution to remove the
air from the tip. Make sure that
there is no air bubbles entrapped
at the tip of the burette.
6. Adjust the reading to zero mark.
Touch the tip of the burette to
the side of the beaker to remove
hanging drop.
7. Deliver the solution drop by
drop to avoid over-titration.

Figure 8 Measuring Volume using

Using Volumetric Flask Base/ Acid Burette

Use volumetric flask to measure exact volumes of solutions measured at

room temperature.
1. Clean and rinse volumetric flask with distilled water.
2. Weigh required amount of solute in a small beaker.
3. Dissolve solute in small amount of distilled water. For NaOH as
solute place the small beaker in an improvised water bath of a
large beaker of water.
4. Pour the dissolved solute in a clean and dry volumetric flask. Care
not to spill solution.
5. Wash the small beaker with distilled water and pour washings into
the volumetric flask. Repeat washings.
6. Swirl flask gently.
7. Add more solvent and final amount drop-by-drop using
pipette/medicine dropper. Stop adding when the lower meniscus
coincides with the graduation mark.
8. Stopper the flask and turn it upside down.

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 Figure 9 Measuring Volume of Solution using Volumetric Flask

H. Transferring of Solid Chemicals

1. Spoon out solid chemicals from the reagent bottle using a clean
and dry spatula or plastic spoon.
2. Get right amount of materials needed to avoid returning excess
amount in order to prevent contamination.
3. Use a piece of clean paper to transfer solids to a small-mouthed
container like test tube. Paper should be folded lengthwise and
must be about 2 cm longer than the test tube and slightly wider
than its diameter.
4. Close the reagent bottle tightly with a correct lid or stopper.
5. Try transferring table salt into a test tube.

Figure 10 Solid Transfer

I. Transferring of Liquid Reagents

Pouring liquid from a reagent bottle

or beaker into a wide-mouthed container
1. Have the neck of the reagent bottle touch the rim of the
receiving vessel as shown below, or

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 2. Hold a glass rod against the mouth of reagent bottle or beaker to
prevent splashing into the receiver.
3. Clean off any liquid that runs down the outside of the container.
Pouring liquid from a reagent bottle or beaker into a narrow-mouthed
container
1. Use glass rod or funnel to direct the flow of liquid and prevent it
from spilling down the sides of the container.
Transferring of small amount of liquid reagents
1. Use pipette or medicine dropper to deliver small volume of liquid.
2. Place the tip of the dropper against the inside upper edge of the
container and squeeze the rubber bulb slowly.

Figure 11 Liquid Transfer

J. Separating a Solid from a Liquid

Filtration
It is the mechanical operation for the separation of solids from liquids
using filter paper through which only the liquid can pass through it.
1. Prepare and fold filter paper for a funnel as shown below.

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 2. Insert folded moistened filter paper into the funnel and transfer
mixture using glass rod as shown below.
3. Allow filtrate to run down the side of the beaker.

Figure 12 Filtration Set-up

Evaporation
It is an endothermic process of a liquid changing
into a gas at any temperature below the boiling
point.
1. Transfer mixture to an evaporating dish
on a wire gauze on top of a tripod and
gently heat until liquid disappears and
only solid residue remains.
2. Before complete dryness is reached, turn
off the flame and let the heat of dish
complete evaporation.
Figure 13 Evaporation Set-up
Decantation
It is the process by which insoluble heavy particles in a liquid are
allowed to settle at the bottom of the container.
1. Set aside the mixture until all the solid particles settle.

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 2. Slowly pour off the supernatant liquid into another container
without disturbing the settled particles.

Distillation
It is a method of separating mixtures based on the differences in their
boiling points.
1. Assemble the apparatus according to the figure given below.
2. Place the liquid mixtures to the distilling flask.
3. Ensure all joints are tight.
4. Turn on the water. Only small stream of water is needed.
5. Heat the mixture using burner or alcohol lamp to start distillation
process.
6. Record the temperature when the first dropped fall at the end of
the condenser.
7. Record the volume of the distillate.

Figure 14 Simple Distillation Set-up

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Name: Group No. Seat No. Rating
Course:
Instructor: Date:

Report Sheet 2
COMMON LABORATORY OPERATIONS and TECHNIQUES

Questions
Give reasons for the following techniques /precautions
1. A dry and clean spatula is used to spoon out small amount of solid
from a reagent bottle.

2. No chemical samples should be weighed directly on the balance

pan.

3. Do not point the test tube to anyone nor look into the test tube while
it is being heated.

4. Pour the acid into water while stirring. Never add water to acid.

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5. A glass rod is used when transferring liquid reagent into another
container.

6. Do not inhale fumes directly. To describe the odor of any

chemical, carefully fan the fumes toward the nose.

7. Moisten the filter paper before placing it in the funnel.

8. Unused reagents are not returned to the original bottle.

9. Calibrate the balance before you weigh an object.

Conclusion

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